Arch and heel support



Feb. 18, 1936. E. M. STEWART ET AL 2,031,510

ARCH AND HEEL SUPPORT Filed June 29, `1935 ATTORNEY rcicntcti Feb. is,1936,k l :i l y 2,031,510

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Anon 4nim HEEL SUPPORT M. Stewart andSeymour Shagrln, Youngstown, Ohio Appiicctionounc 29, 1935, serial No.29,111

, c claims: (01. sti-zii This invention relates to arch and heelsupports tarsal joint. This is checked when the anterior which may beused in combination with an inner part of the os calcis cannot come downany fursoie or as a part of a shoe construction. 1their.

The principal object of the invention is to pi'o- Next the head of theastragaius is displaced invid@ n arch and heel support so constructedthat wardly by rotation oi this bone on its vertical the arch isproperly supported and held in this axis. The structures above, below,andin front of position by the heel support construction which theastrogolus oro wetted by the changed posicauses the foot, when weight isplaced thereon, to tion f this bOne. maintain its natural foot form andto prevent the I The alfmgafllis. after heving rotated inward on l@sinking of the 09 cams or the heel bone, and the its vertical axis,causes a tilting of the superior 10 mmm of the arch. surface of the oscalcisto the inner side of the foot,

A further.object is to provide a, cushion member bewust? mOSiO theWeight of the body now falls for the heel provided with two or moregrades of on the inner side of the heel bone and not through resilientmaterial such as sponge rubber, one area the Center as it DOI'mailLvShould. This altered w being made of relatively more resilient materialPosition 0f the 0S Galois CaliSS the astragalus to man member. n glidedownward and inward on itas far as the A stm further object is toprovide a proper sup connecting ligaments will permit, therebyincreasport fr the metata rsa1 s ing its internal lateral displacementstill more.

with tno foregoing and cthcrcbjccts in view The head 0f the estrogensconnected to the which wm appear as the description proceeds, themphqid. by its inward rotation changes its relainvention resides in thecombination and arrangetionshlp t0 5h15 bone and through it disturbs thement of puts and m the details -,construction relation of the forefootto the rest of the foot. hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunder- Through the inward rotation of the head 0f stood that changes inthe precise' embodiment of the asimgalus under weight bearing, thereloc'- the invention hel-em disclosed, can be made curs an angulationbetween fore and rear foot within the scqpe of what is claimed, WithoutQ of the metatarsal joint. That brings the foreming from the Spirit ofthe invention foot, in its relation to theother two bones, into a Theinvention is illustrated in the accompany- Position 0f abdultifn 'andChanges 'the Straight .mg drawmg,wherem, and even concave line on theinner side of the 30* Firme i is a side elevation of c shoe with the fiint@ a Convex line with its most prominent arch and heel support inplace showing the cross point al' the aStrgalO-Saphoid joint. TheSection of the mh and heel support, malalignment of the skeleton is thensuch that Figure 2 is a op plan view of the arch and heel thesupnortlngstructures from below, that is, 85 Support m position upon ashoe sale; the ligaments that ordinarily keep the various 35 Figure 3 isa cross section taken online -3-3 of parts 0f the fooi? longitudinallyin proper align- Figure 2 ment, cannot perform their functions.

mgm-e 4 is a side elevation of the arch and heel It is the intention 01'this invention to prosupport showing the samedepressed as it would Videan arch and heel Support Which Will Drebc with weight placca thereon andshowing the Vent the maiolisnment of the foot bones and 40 y manner inwhich the supprts -nfom to the which will support the foot in its normalposition.

have of the foot bones KK Thus lateral displacement of the bones on the.Insure 5 is a cross section taken on une 5 5 of inner side oi' the footis prevented and the os Figure calcis kept in straight alignment, anddownward Many people have some type of fooi; pathology, displacementcannot occur and breaking down of. 45

the most common of which is weak foot. In weak the longitudinal arch iSimDOSSible.-

' foot, the ligaments and muscles supporting 'the Referring 110W t0 'thedrawing it will be seen arched structure of the 4foot and principallyits that a skeleton of thefoot is shown in Figures 4 inner side, are tooweak to carry the load of the and 5 where numeral i represents the oscalcis:

body Weight, Thus on weight bearing the fooi; 2, the astragalus; 3,'thescaphoid; 4. the internal collapses. As soon as a person bears weight onCuneiform; 5, a metatarsal; 6. a proximal phathe foot, the anterior partof the os calcis sinks lanX; 1, the tibia; and 8, the bula. down. Theanterior part of the astragalus, its By referring to Figure 1 it -willbe seen that head, has to follow this movement, since this bone there isprovided a shoe 9 in which is a structure in; and ilattening of the footthrough the metamade of sponge rubber. and a heel support Il rests uponthe former. The result is a lengthencomprising a resilient body portioni0 preferably 55A..

formed oi a relatively more resilient material than the body portionill. This. heel support is also preferably oi sponge rubber.

By referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that this resilient bodyportion lil is constructed with a metatarsal support i2 having its irontedge I3 shaped so as to conform with the varying lengths of themetatarsal bones 5, and providing a support for the same. The bodyportion I0 is built up at a point ifi to provide a support for the archof the foot. It Will be seen that there is provided a tab extension i5at the point it in order that the same may be attached to the side wall'of the shoe in order to holdit up underneath the arch when the shoe isproperly laced, thereby utilizing the side shoe structure and thevariations in the lacing.

It will also be seen that the heel support lI rests in a semi-saucershaped recess I6 in the body portion I0 and is positioned slightly tothe outer side of the heel portion of the body portion I9 in order toconform to the shape of the os calcis. This heel portion II is elongatedin order to provide a support which fits the lower end portion I1 of theos calcis I. (See Fig. 4.)

ReferringI to Figures 4 and 5 it will be seen that the foot skeletonrepresents the foot under weight so as to showY the built up portion I4of the body portion I0 coming underneath the inner longitudinal arch ofthe foot and a point IILof the built up portion Il tting directly infront of the lower end portion I'I of the os calcis I. It will be seenthat the heel of the foot would take a position as indicated by a pocketformed by the depression of the relatively more resilient heel portionII.

It is understood that the shoe sole'construction as above describedshould be worn in every shoe in order to prevent a weakened condition ofthe foot, and it is especially beneficial in the correction of themalalignment of the foot bones.

It is also desirable that shoes constructedk for athletes should givethe desired support in order to eliminate the danger of injuring thefoot, This invention is adaptable to this particular type o! shoeg It isobvious from the foregoing description aosmio i that we nd that theflattening of the foot nnder weight bearing is not accomplished sy asimple and direct downward displacement of the bones forming the arch ofthe foot that enter into the formation of the inner side of thelongitudinal arch, but their downward displacement must be preceded byan internal vlateral displacement of some of the bones so as to escapethe resistance offered to their downward displacement by the strongsupporting structure directly beneath them.

It is understood that While it is desirable to build the device in everyshoe, it may readily Abe adapted to be used as an insole in a shoe whichhas been built to conform to the ordinary construction.

What we claim iszj Il. In an arch and heel support; a resilient bodyportion, an elongated semi-saucer shaped recess in the heel of said bodyportion, a resilient heel support in sai'd recess, said recess formedslightly to the outside of the heel portion of the body portion, aninner longitudinal arch support formed in said body portion, a built upportion on said arch support, a tab extension on said built up portionto be attached to a shoe, a metatarsal support in said body portionhaving its front edge shaped to conform to the varying lengths of themetatarsal bones.

2. In an arch and heel support, a resilient body portion, an elongatedsemi-saucer shaped recess in the heel of said body portion, a resilientheel support in said recess, said recess formed slightly to the outsideofthe heel portion oi the body portion, an inner longitudinal archsupport formed in said body portion, said arch support being sovshapedas to form a support directly in front uof the lower end portion oi' theos calcis or heel bone, a built up portion on said arch support, a tabextension on said built up portion to be attached to a. shoe, ametatarsal support in said body portion having its iront edge shaped toconform to the varying lengths of the metatarsal bones.

EARL M. STEWART. SEYMOUR SHAGRIN.

